Improvement in games



J. FLETCHER.

lmprovemen in Games.

Patented April 16, 1872.

-a La c cl c a c c c flaw/zia?" V/)zess es JOHN M. FLETCHER, OF CLIFTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAMES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,671, dated April 16, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Moss FLETCHER, of Clifton, in the county of Richmond, in the State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Game which I naine Croquet-Bit liards, and the table upon which my improved game of croquet billiards is played is also adapted for playing a game which I call croquet ten-pins; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying sheet of drawing, and to the letters and figures marked thereon., in Which- Figure lis a top view, of my improved gametable, showing the arrangement of the parts which are necessary for the playing of the game.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the counting-stall box.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of one of the bell orgong-stalls C. Fig. 4 is a top view of the table A, Fig. 1, having the counting-stall box B, and the pin I removed, and a set oftenpins arranged thereoh.

Similar letters on the different drawings indicate like part-s,`in which- A is atable. B is a removable box or case having partitions which form stalls C C C and C C. DD are gong-bells, which are placed over the stalls C C. E E are striking-hammers, which are pivoted at a a, and have hoops appended to their stems below the pivot-bar, the weight of which retains the hammer in position. G is a marked scale, which is provided with sliding markers b b. The stall-case B, is set into a recess at the end of the table, which is shown by H, Fig. 4. F is a beveled bottom to the stalls C C, which is beveled downward toward the front of the stalls. I is a croquet-pin. K 'K' are croquet-hoops, the ends of which are inserted in sockets in the table A. ff ff are posts which support the pivot-bars d d, to which are attached the hoops h and h and bells L L. J J J J JJ' are white playing-balls. J and J are a red and a blue ball, which correspond to the red and blue game-indicators e e. The red ball J is shown in its position before the game has been commenced. M is a billiard-mace. Q is a billiard-cue. N N N are ten-pins set upon the table A, from which the pin I and stall-case B have been removed. The balls are played vith the cue or mace, in the manner of bi1- iards.

The nature or leading features of mynew and improved game, which I name croquet-billiards, embodies some of the features of both the games of billiards and croquet; and to enable others to understand and play the same, I will proceed to describe one set of rules and the manner of playing the game in accordance therewith.

Rules.

First, this game is -played with six white balls and two colored ones. Second, each player to have the six white balls in turn, and to place on the spot his colored one. Third, if more than two persons wish to play, they may choose sides, one side always playing with the red ball, the other with the blue77 ball. Fourth, the colored ball must always be played at andknocked off the spot before the stalls can be played at. Fifth, if the colored ball should be knocked into one of the stalls it counts double the number marked on the stall or if the player should at any time croquet his own ball olf the colored one into the stall that also counts double. Sixth, every ball must be played through one ofthe hoops, and, if played so as to cause a bell to ring, the player loses live points off his score. Seventh, any ball going into one of the gon g-bell stalls causes three to be taken off the players score.

Eighth, when a` ball is played into a stall a second ball going into the same stall is not to be counted. Ninth, the colored ball must be placed on a spot marked upon the table in front of the colored pin, and must always be hit be fore any counting can be made. If the player misses it with the first ball he loses one point if ,that ball should then run into a stall he loses the number of that stall also off his previous score if it should go into any gong-stall he then loses three points in addition to the one point off for the miss. Tenth, if a players ball, which caused the bell on one of the hoops to ring should go into a stall, or should croquet oft' the colored ball into a stall, he will count the full number of points, and then deduct ve points for ringing the bell. Eleventh,

if a ball should strike one of the bell-hoops, causing the bell to ring, and afterward go into a gong-stall, the player would lose eight points. Twelfth, one hundred points make the game.

The introduction of the bells D over the stalls Cl is to induce the players to play finely Frrcn.

and carefully; for if it is preferred to score a double count by croquetin g oft the colored ball, the player must be careful that by doing s0 the colored ball is not knocked into a gongstall which Would count against the player. The tWo bell-hoops are introduced to make the player play carefully when playing from the sides of the table at the side holes, or oft' the colored ball to the higher-numbered middle stalls.

The ten-pins are introduced in connection with my improved game-table for billiard-croquet, to afford a variety of amusement, and also as a modification of the game to a more simple and less difficult one, especially adapted to young players and persons who prefer a less intricate game than my improved game of croquet-billiard. The rules for playing the croquet ten-pins may be simple, such as, when a player strikes the hoops h with a ball, and causes a bell to ring, it will forfeit one o'f the unplayed balls; or if it be the players last ball the eiiect of the ball should not be counted. In playing the croquet ten-pins, the retention of the hoop-bells L L and the forfeit caused by ringing the bells by striking the hoops will be suiiicient to induce young players to observe the effects of random pla-y, and acquire a habit of carefnlness in their play. The game with the ten-pins, otherwise than the ringing of the bells L, causing a loss to the player, and his having to play through the croquethoops, will count in the usual manner of the ordinary game of ten-pins. The beveled bottom F ofthe stall-case B is for the purpose of having the balls, after going into the stalls, to lie kagainst the edge oi' the recess H and also, when the stall-box B is raised the beveled bottom F will roll the balls from the stalls upon the table, and thereby obviate the necessity of taking the balls out of the stalls With the hands. The beveled bottom F may be hinged or pivoted, and raised or tilted With a rod or other suitable means, so as to eject the balls from the stalls C Without the necessity of raising the stall-box B. The recess H is made for the purpose of retaining the balls in the stalls C after they have passed over its edge until they are removed or ejected therefrom.

The table Will be made both With and Without legs, and hinged in the center ofthe length, so

4as to fold up, When it will occupy only one-half The arrangements of the parts Von my im- Y proved game-table, and the rules herein described may be modified, if desired, as the retention of the parts preserves the leading features of the game.

Having thus described my improved gametable, I claiml. A game-table, having hoops K K and pin I arranged thereon, in connection with the stalls C C, or their equivalents, when used in playing a game with 'balls projected with a cue or mace, substantially as herein specified.

2. The bells L L, arranged and combined with the table, substantially in the manner shown, when used in a game played With a cue or mace, as described. f

3. The bell-stalls C C', in'combination with thel stalls C C U, arranged substantially as herein shown and for ythe purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the recess H in the table A with the stalls C (l, having the beveled bottom F or equivalent for retaining the balls therein, substantially as specified.

5. A game-table, having thereon croquethoops K K', a croquet-pin, I, bells L, and stalls C C', arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

6. In combination with a game-table, having thereon hoops K Kl and bells L L, the tenpins N N, arranged in relation to each other, substantially as shown.

JOHN MOSS FLETCHER. Witnesses:

G. F. LYNCH, G. T. PALMER. 

